


Unending Winter

by Griffin Raynor (TheEbonHawk)



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Deathfic, Maiden!Summer, Multi, RWBY Maidens, Speculation, Winter Maiden, likely AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-22
Updated: 2016-11-07
Packaged: 2018-08-23 22:17:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8344867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEbonHawk/pseuds/Griffin%20Raynor
Summary: As a young Beacon graduate and aspiring huntress, Summer Rose learns that she has been blessed with the great mythical power of the winter maiden. What she doesn't know is that it's going to get her killed.





	1. Graduation

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, please comment if you read, and kudo and share if you liked it! I'm working really hard on this fic, and it's very important to me, so please let me know if you appreciate, and help me get more exposure for it! Thanks!
> 
> I want to give some credit to some lovely fan theories that helped inspire this fic! I've seen a lot of Summer-as-a-maiden theories and had a few ideas of my own, but some very good ones are these two: http://tinyurl.com/hadqhnh and http://tinyurl.com/hfs9n9m.

Ozpin looked up from his grading as the office door opened, meeting his former student’s silver eyes and taking a deep breath as she began walking towards him with a calm smile on her face. 

“Summer Rose,” he greeted, looking behind her to where the Branwen twins and Taiyang Xiao Long were standing around the doorway. “I see you brought your entire team to our private and confidential meeting.” 

The rest of team STRQ followed Summer as she took the chair opposite the headmaster’s desk. “They insisted.”

Ozpin frowned at Taiyang, who was glowering challengingly at him. “I have to insist as well. They need to leave.”

Summer frowned, unconcerned. She looked at her teammates, the twins on her right and Taiyang on her left. “Guys?”

Qrow set his jaw and looked Ozpin right in the eye. He hadn't a clue what was going on, but he was covered in suspicion. “We're not going anywhere, Sunshine.”

Summer smiled at her friend, fondness shining in her eyes. As it had from the moment he’d discovered her powers, her innocence and youth filled Ozpin with shame for what he would ask for her. She had no concept of it. She met his gaze, giving a small and respectful nod. “I guess it's all of us or no one, professor.”

Ozpin supposed this would be his punishment for asking a newly graduated nineteen year old to give up her immediate future and potentially her life. A group of kids hating him forever. He could deal with that.

“Very well. But you must tell no one what I am about to say.”

-

“You're not going to do it, are you?”

It was Raven asking, clinging tightly to her hand, but she could tell by the tightness of Qrow's jaw and his determination to stare out the window he sat by that he felt the same way.

Taiyang, on the other hand, was relatively calm, reclining on his bed. “Of course she isn't. It's dangerous. She’d be hunted more than she’d be hunting.”

Raven wasn't satisfied with Taiyang's opinion. “Summer, please tell me you won't.”

Summer was sitting on her own bed, Raven standing over her, and she felt a bit dazed. She wasn't afraid, though. Not like her teammates. Not really at all. “You’re overreacting,” she laughed, trying to reassure her girlfriend with a smile. “If what Ozpin said is true, I have more than enough power to take care of myself.”

Raven did seem to calm, nodding and sitting next to Summer rather than continuing to hover, but Qrow scoffed and leaned against the side of the window sill, arms crossed over his chest. “You heard him say the last winter maiden was killed, right? Don't you think she could hold her own, too?”

Summer sighed, not sure how to answer that. “Okay, okay, but my point is that you're _overreacting_. I'm a huntress. My entire job is an occupational hazard. It was always going to be.”

Qrow exhaled sharply through his nose and got up from the window seat, storming out the door and slamming it shut. 

Raven and Summer exchanged surprised, concerned looks. “He's going to be alright,” Raven assured, squeezing Summer’s hand. “He's just worried about you.”

Taiyang sat up. “Summer, are you seriously considering this?”

She shrugged, her brow creasing, expression serious. “I feel like I have to, Tai. I’ve been given this power, and... I'm needed.”

He frowned thoughtfully. She could tell he wasn’t completely sold on the idea, but at least he was listening to her and not storming out like Qrow. 

Raven pushed Summer’s hair behind her ear, leaving her hand under her chin. “ _We_ need you, Summer.” Her voice was soft, and the kiss she pressed against her girlfriend’s cheek even softer. “If you agree to this, you’ll be busier than the rest of us. We won’t have as much time together.”

Summer folded her hand over Raven’s. “It doesn’t have to be that way. We can still work together. You can help me...I’ll make sure of it.”

Raven sighed and nodded, wrapping her arms around Summer’s waist and leaning into her. “Please just don't let him talk you into it if you’re not sure. This is a huge commitment, Summer. Our lives just started. Don't give yours up.”

Summer hugged Raven back, met eyes with Tai. She knew they were right, that she should be more concerned than she was, about the risk and the commitment both.

But all she could feel was excitement.


	2. Decided

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"we can't just wait_  
>  with lives at stake  
> until they think we're ready"  
> -  
> Qrow can be overprotective when it comes to Summer, but she has more faith. And ultimately, this decision is hers alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to kudo, comment, and share xx
> 
> If you'd like more information/commentary on _Winter_ as it progresses or would just like to follow my writing in general, a good place to do that is my tumblr, griffin-writing-blog.tumblr.com.

Summer gave Qrow about a quarter of an hour before she went outside to find him. By that time, the sun was setting, and most of the students and teachers alike had left the school for the break. It was past time for them to go, too, but Summer dreaded that moment. It felt too soon.

 

She found Qrow sitting in the courtyard, on the fountain with the massive statue. It’d always been one of their favorite places on campus. His arms were crossed again, and he was frowning off down the long walkway out of the school.

 

Summer approached him and gently rested a hand on his shoulder. “Hey there,” she greeted, forcing a cheerful smile. “What’re you thinking about?”

 

He shrugged. “The future. Today’s the day. We’re leaving, and then we have to figure out what we’re going to do next.” He looked up at her, frowning. “Although it looks like some of us already have an idea.”

 

Summer sighed. She tried to decide how to answer that, but came up with nothing.

 

He shook his head. “Look, I’m sorry if I’m being an asshole about this, but I really think you shouldn’t do it. I’ve got a bad feeling about this maiden shit, Summer. You’re gonna get hurt and you’re gonna end up spending more and more time on super dangerous, secret missions. It’s not fair to you.”

 

Summer pushed her chopped hair behind her ear, thinking it over. She pressed her lips together before answering. “I have to think about it, Qrow. I have to at least consider it.” She looked up at the statue, at the stone huntress with her battleaxe. “People need me.”

 

Qrow stood abruptly, accidentally forcing her wrist to bend against his shoulder before she could yank it away. He grabbed her by both arms, urgently pleading with her. “Summer,  _ today is your graduation.  _ Today is about you, not the people who need you, not your stupid ex-headmaster who’s trying to get you to work for him. This is about what  _ you  _ want, about your future.”

 

Summer was frozen in surprise, her eyes stinging from the pain in her wrist. From the conflict she felt. Qrow, her loving, protective friend, her  _ best  _ friend...versus the chance to make her dreams come true, right now. Versus the duty she felt she now had. 

 

And he was somehow angry at her for even considering it. She pulled away slightly. “You’re not arguing on my behalf, Qrow. You’re just afraid.”

 

His shoulder sagged. “You’ve decided, haven’t you? You decided the moment he told you about all of this. You’re the winter maiden.”

 

She laughed, shrugging her shoulders. “Yeah, I kind of am. I have the maiden’s powers, and I can’t exactly get rid of them. Unless I die. So what, I die to escape this terrible burden of  _ living my dream? _ Or just give it up? When instead I could do so much good. Yes, I think I've decided.”

 

Qrow just stared at her in stony silence. The wind picked up and blew their hair around, irritating Summer by tickling her cheeks with her shorter strands.

 

She gave a frustrated sigh and roughly pushed the hair out of her way, hurting her injured wrist again. “Ow!” she gasped, her emotion leaking into what normally would been a much calmer reaction.

 

Qrow quickly but gently took her wrist in his hands, his expression sick with worry and guilt. “Shit, Summer, that's gonna bruise. I'm sorry.”

 

Summer gave a small, irritated grunt. “No it's not, you fucking dumbass.” She carefully tugged on his grip, and he let her pull her wrist away again. She encircled her wrist with her hand again until white light emitted from her aura and was absorbed by her skin.

 

Qrow took her arm again and examined it. Apparently deciding it was alright, he sighed and let his head fall, just holding her wrist in his hand. He seemed content to remain like that for a while, quiet and still.

 

Summer was ashamed. She trembled in the unusual briskness of the wind and wondered wildly what to do, both right now with him and about the whole thing. 

 

Gently she slipped her wrist from her hand and locked fingers with him instead. She lifted his chin so he'd look at her, smiling in a way that reminded him all at once everything she was to him. His best friend, like a sister almost; his leader, strong and brave and always there to take care of him, somehow always able to get him and Taiyang to stop tripping over each other and be a team.

 

She was so  _ Summer. _

 

He smiled slightly, trying to convey that he was calm, that he was listening now. “I'm sorry. I trust you, and I don't want to get in your way.”

 

Summer’s eyes spilled over. She pulled him in and hugged him. “I'm sorry, too. I don't want to worry you guys. I don't want to hurt anyone. And I know your graduation got ruined, too.”

 

“We'll be okay, Summer. All of us. You can do anything.”

 

Summer had been holding herself up straight, trying to appear strong, but now she sank gratefully into his arms, relaxing. “Yeah. It's only scary now. It's going to be okay.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The theory of Summer's healing semblance is not mine; it's actually a theory I've seen in the FNDM that I've adopted. A specific place I've seen it mentioned is by Phantomlink959 on this thread on the RWBY Wiki: http://tinyurl.com/hk6wsos.


	3. Protector

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summer and Raven have different ideas of how a protector should behave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoa guys, so sorry it took so long. School hates me and depression has been kicking me in the face. I'm really going to try to be more consistent from now on, and I'm going to try to work on this as much and as fast as possible.
> 
> Also I'm now caught up on RWBY and will likely be watching it with at most a week gap. It won't affect this fic, however, especially since I'm 99% sure it makes this a total AU. 
> 
> As always, please leave a comment, and consider sharing this! Thanks!

The beowulf growled before it jumped out of the bushes, and that gave Summer enough time to raise her hand and send spikes of ice into its chest and stomach.

Raven whipped in front of her and engaged the Grimm with her sword, providing a line of defense between the maiden and her attacker.

Summer frowned a little to herself, then continued to attack the monster with ice. It groaned and died, falling on its side.

Summer looked at Raven. “I had him, you know.”

Raven just frowned back at her, not willing to have the ‘I-will-protect-you-like-it-or-not’ argument again. She sheathed her sword and turned away, heading deeper into the woods. “Heard from Qrow?”

Summer pushed a tree branch out of her way and followed behind her teammate. “No, but don't try and change the subject. I'm still the effing leader of this team last time I checked, so please don't try to steal my fights any more.”

Raven stopped and turned a bit abruptly, snapping a small branch behind her. “Summer, this isn't some glory mission. This is serious. And as the maiden, your safety and preservation of stamina is priority.”

Summer groaned. “Whatever. Just please relax a _little_ bit. I need to be able to do something.”

Raven moved on, grumbling. “Sorry you don't get to be a hero.”

Summer accepted the accusation with a light sting. She knew she harped on the hero thing a bit too much, but it wasn't about glory or feeling special. It was just much easier to cope with the stress of the job if she knew she was doing good.

Ozpin told her she was, but that was never enough. Not with Raven being irritated with her like this and Taiyang trying to bury himself in teaching and ignore everything.

“Stop.”

Summer obeyed. “What is it?”

Raven reached back and took her hand, hiding them behind a tree and peeking through a break in the trees into a clearing. “There are people here,” she whispered.

Summer's heartbeat quickened, and she felt hers and Raven’s pulses. “Can you tell who they are?”

Raven shook her head. “Shh!”

Summer bit her lip and waited. She could barely see into the clearing herself, and she wasn't able to find the people Raven saw.

Raven was very still for a long moment. Then she tightened her grip on Summer’s hand. “When I say so, start moving very slowly and quietly back into the other clearing.”

Summer squeezed back in acknowledgement.

Raven waited another moment, one that seemed far too long to Summer. “Now.”

Summer released her girlfriend's hand and moved carefully back out of the woods. Raven followed. As she stepped into the earlier clearing, Summer saw Qrow just an instant before she nearly ran into him.

The older hunter smirked crookedly. “Any luck, Sunshine?”

Summer vaulted to her full height and slapped her hand over his mouth as Raven silently gripped the hilt of her sword and spun toward the other clearing, prepared to unsheath it.

Qrow raised his eyebrow and a voice came from the clearing.

“Did you hear something?”

“Dunno, maybe. Let's get out of here.” The sound of retreating footsteps followed until it grew faint and faded.

Summer looked to Raven, who released her hilt and nodded, and then removed her hand from Qrow's stubbly jaw.

The hunter frowned. “What the hell are you two doing? That was, what, a couple guys? We coulda taken them. If we even needed to.”

Raven got in his face, pointing her finger so close she almost touched the tip of his nose. “We're not risking shit! I've told you both a million times: this is serious, and I intend to treat it that way. That means no unnecessary fighting.”

Qrow yawned and stretched his arms. “Well, I'm bored, and I think that necessitates fighting.”

Raven clenched her fist and held it in the air a moment, jaw tight and silently raging. Then she growled, dropped her hand, and stormed away from him. “Come on, Summer. The sun’s getting low. We'll come back.”

Summer looked at Qrow, questioning. He nodded. She planted her feet. “Actually, I think I'm going to keep trying. Qrow will watch over me.”

Raven stopped, her shoulders going rigid. She stood very still so long that Summer was about to take it back. “Fine.” She turned. “I'm done. I'm done trying to protect you. I've tried to tell you for half a year not to do this, Summer, or to at least be careful, but if you're not going to let me help you, I'll go home. Let Qrow be your protector now.”

She turned away, leaving Summer stunned. It was not until she was almost out of sight that Summer regained her voice. “Raven, wait!” She started forward, trying to follow. “Come back! Let's talk about this!”

Raven ignored her, trekking loudly through the brittle leaves on the ground and then leaping into the air, assuming her bird form and soaring away.

Summer looked to Qrow. “She's not serious, is she?”

Qrow frowned, his eyes darkening. “Yeah, she is.”

Summer felt panic rise in her chest. “Well, what...Where’s she going? Is she leaving me?”

Qrow shrugged, his expression concerned on her behalf. “I don’t know, kid. Give her a chance to calm down and then call and find out.” He scowled at the patch of sky his sister had disappeared in, then turned and headed back the way they’d been searching, gesturing for Summer to follow. “Come on, Sunshine. Just you and me now.”


End file.
